Mukhtar Kazam, the husband of Samia Shahid, a British woman of Pakistani origin who was found dead inside her family home in Jhelum earlier this month, is under 24-hour police protection after receiving death threats in Pakistan.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had constituted a high-level investigation committee last week to probe the “honour” killing after Kazam alleged his wife was murdered by her relatives because they had disapproved of her second marriage to him – a claim denied by the family.
The 30-year-old told a British media outfit that he is “running scared” following threats made to shoot him and his supporters.
The police have launched a murder inquiry and a new team of investigators have been put in charge of the case after officers initially treated Samia’s death as natural causes.
Initial post-mortem examination reports indicated Samia was found with no physical marks on her, but it has since emerged she had a 19 centimetre-long bruise on her neck.